First, to establish and support policies specific to advancing the initiatives of minority groups.

Second, to provide a safe-space for minority elected officials to meet in their own interests as a collective group.

Suppose the Congressional Black Caucus had allowed White members in 1971, would their protest during President Nixon’s State of the Union Address have happened, possibly not.

Their ability to meet as a collective minority was just as important as their ability to identify the issues unique to their districts.

When White representatives of majority minority districts want to discuss the issues that affect their constituents they can do that with minority officials in other venues.

Allowing White representatives into the Black and Latino caucus has nothing to do with helping ethnic minorities.

What helps African Americans and other ethnic minorities are sound policies on education, employment, and development.

For example, Wisconsin has the highest Black- White and Black-Asian educational achievement gap.

One answer might be to establish a Minority Office of Educational Excellence, specifically dedicated to studying the dynamics, practices, and elements of education that have had the most positive impact on minority and low-income students.

What is most problematic about the recent move to allow White representatives into the Black and Latino Caucus is that one very talented and smart Latina representative might be excluded.

This sends the wrong message to minorities throughout Wisconsin.

What it says is that, even Black and Latino groups will prioritize the interests of White elected officials over members of their own ethnic group.

In the current political and economic climate, where African Americans and other minorities are suffering, the answer is for our leadership to work hard and be smart about policies.

If you want to address incarceration, initiate a policy that does so.

If you want to address racial disparities in unemployment, then do so.

That is the real work that needs to be done, not diminishing the collective voice of Black and Latino representatives or their constituents.

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